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Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful. Not only for good friends and family, but also for live music. Every year this delectable holiday provides a long, wonderful weekend filled with fun. The festivities begin on Black Wednesday, the biggest party night of the year. Since many people return to their hometowns for the holiday, it is a common time of reunion that is apparently best celebrated with binge drinking.

On Thanksgiving Day you can sleep off your hangover and then later refuel with a massive turkey dinner. Whether you choose to continue the party after grandma and grandpa go home is entirely up to you. Many people choose to get a good night's rest so they can wake up at the crack of dawn for some notoriously American shopping on Black Friday, but this year you might want to consider spending your money on memories instead of material objects. There are plenty of deals at local bars and venues that will help you do so.

Here's a preview of a few of your many musical options before and after Thanksgiving.

Wednesday

American English will play at Abbey Pub, 3420 W. Grace St., at 9pm. This Beatles tribute band that really does the "fab four" justice. American English's performances aim to take its audience on a musical journey through the distinct Beatles' eras by playing the appropriate songs and wearing authentic costumes. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door, 21+.

Greensky Bluegrass and Strange Arrangement play at Park West, 322 W. Armitage Ave., at 8pm. The two bands routinely play shows together in Chicago because their musical sounds compliment each others' well. Both incorporate many different genres into their songs. Tickets are $17.50, 18+.

Thursday

Thanksgiving tends to be a quiet night for shows, but the Metro is spicing it up with a "Thanksgiving Jam" dance party produced by Urbano. Atlanta's DJ Maestro will spin hip hop, R&B and reggae from midnight to 5am. $15 early bird admission midnight-1am ($10 with text from the co-promoter, Clubhouse), $20 after 1am. 21+

Friday

Curren$y will perform at the Congress Theater, 2135 N. Milwaukee Ave., at 7pm. The rapper has been gaining a lot of momentum in Chicago throughout the past few years, including his notably popular performances at Pitchfork and the Mad Decent Block Party last summer. Tickets are $25, 17+.

Saturday

MiMOSA (right) will bring his Future Trill tour to the Congress Theater, 2135 N. Milwaukee Ave., at 8pm. The music producer, who used to play his Chicago shows at the Kinetic Playground, has clearly benefited from the city's ridiculously popular EDM scene. The Cool Kids, UZ, JSMN, and Cosmic Revenge will also perform. Tickets are $20, 17+.

Family Groove Company play at Martyrs', 3855 N. Lincoln Ave., at 9:30pm. FGC is a Chicago-based rock band that incorporates jazz and funk into its sound to create songs that are impossible not to dance along to. Local bluegrass heroes the Henhouse Prowlers, who play at Chicago's Abbey Pub almost every Tuesday under the alias Sexfist, will also perform.Tickets are $12, 18+.

Local band Kids These Days plays at the Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield Ave., at 7:30pm. The band is made up of eight young and diverse musicians who just recently graduated from high school. Funk-rock band Mathien opens. Tickets are $12, all ages.

Punk/indie rock band Titus Andronicus headlines a show at the Metro, 3730 N. Clark St., at 8pm. The band is a champion of buying local and supporting small businesses. They even named their most recent album Local Business. Cermony and Coffin Pricks will open. Tickets are $18, 18+.